Improvement in the manufacture of illuminating gas from hydrocarbons



H. H. EAMES C. J. EAMES.

Improvment in* Manufacture of Illuminating-Gas from Hydrocarbons. N0. 132,265, Patented 0ct.15,v1872 UNITED STATES 'PATENT QEEICE.

HENRY H. EAMES, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AND CHARLES J.

EAMES, 0E NEw` YoEK, N. Y.

IMPRVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE 0F ILLUMINATING GAS vFROM HYDROCARBONS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 132,265, dated October 15,1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY H. EAMES, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and CHARLES J. EAMES, of New York, in the county of New York and in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture of Illuminating Gas from Hydrocarbons.

The nature of our invention consists in the construction of an apparatus that will completely vaporize petroleum, resin, dead-oil ,of coal-tar, and other hydrocarbons, by subjecting a descending thin continuous stream of the material to be vaporized with superheated steam to the action of a series of heated plates (over and through which the steam flows) arranged one below the other in a heated metallic chamber, from whence the gas thus formed is conveyed to an ordinary condenser. The object of our' invention is to obtain the vapor of petroleum, resin, dead-oil of coal-tar, and other hydrocarbons, and is designed more especially for illuminating purposes.

We have found that in treating the abovenamed hydrocarbons in a thin continuous stream in the manner herein described we are enabled to vaporize them more thoroughly, rapidly, and -economically than if we had vaporized them in a bulky mass, and without permitting a deposit ofthe carbon, which is a desirable end not heretofore so perfectly attained.

Figure 1 is a vertical section of our invention, and Fig. 2 is a detail view.

A are metallic cylinders, which may be of other than circular form, provided with thin metallic plates B and ilanges C, which cylinj ders are bolted tightly together by their lian ges G, made gas-tight with cement, thereby forming a gas-generating chamber, provided with a series of compartments, D, communicating with each other by means of openings b-one of them in each of the plates B that form the partitions between the compartments D-and are two inches (more or less) apart. E is the gas-eduction pipe in the top of the gas-generating chamber. Fis a coil 7 for superheating the steam, having communication with the lower compartment of the gas-generating chamber, but a small amount of steam being employed. G is an eduction-siphon, by which the residuum is made to continuously ilow from the lower compartment of the vaporizin gchamber. H is the Siphon by which the hydrocarbon material is fed into the upper compartment of the vaporizing-chamber. This chamber is inclosed Within the furnace I and conveniently iiXed over the tire. Between said chamber and the furnace we provide divisions t' with openings 'i' so as to cause the heat from the furnace to slowly ascend and iiow in a winding course around this chamber, as indicated in Fig. l.

"We operate our invention, when constructed as above set forth, in the manner following: First, we start the fire in the furnace I and heat the vaporizing-chamber and plates B to a cherry-red heat then turn the cock of a pipe leading to the tank or reservoir containing the material to be vaporized in a flowing condition so as to cause a continuous stream of the material to descend into and out of the Siphon H; thence into the upper compartment D, where the material is, by the action of the heat, quickly diffused in a thin stratum over the plate B of said upper compartment, and iiows thence, through the opening b, to the compartment immediately below; from thence, through the openings b in the series of plates B, in and out of the lower compartments D. Just as the material is set flowing the Siphon G is sealed with water and the steam is admitted into the coil7 F. The steam, as it passes through the coil,7 is quickly superheated and passes into the lower compartment ofthe gas-generatin g chamber at f, and thence up through the series of compartments D, carryin g with it the vaporized hydrocarbon material out through the eduction-pipe E to an ordinary suitable condenser, while the residuum of the material is drawn oft' by the Siphon Gr in a continuous stream as rapidly as the residuum forms, thus rapidly, thoroughly, andl economically vaporizing the hydrocarbon material and etfectually preventing a deposit of carbon.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The method herein described for converting i petroleum, resin, dead-oil of coaLtar, and oth- `we have hereunto signed our names this 10th er hydrocarbons into gus, the same consisting day 0f September, 1872.

in subjecting the hydrocarbons t0 the direct HENRY H. EAMES. action of superheztted steam While flowing in CHARLES J. EAMES. a stream, substantially as set forth. Witnesses:

In testimony that We claim the above-de V. C. CLAYTON,

scribed certain new and useful improvements EDM. F. BROWN. 

